ase, is the correct
word 'unknown' or 'unknowable'? Will any human gunner _ever_ be able to
fire an Oman projector? There are a hundred other and much tougher
questions, half of which have been scaring me to the very middle of my
guts. Your oath, Skipper, was for the good of the Service and, through
the Service, for the good of all humanity. Right?"

"That's the sense of it."

"Okay. Based on what little we have learned so far about the Omans,
here's just one of those scarers, for a snapper. If Omans and Terrans
mix freely, what happens to the entire human race?"

* * * * *

Minutes of almost palpable silence followed. Then Sawtelle spoke ...
slowly, gropingly.

"I begin to see what you mean ... that changes the whole picture. You've
thought this through farther than any of the rest of us ... what do you
want to do?"

"I don't know. I simply don't know." Face set and hard, Hilton stared
unseeingly past Sawtelle's head. "I don't know what we _can_ do. No
data. But I have pursued several lines of thought out to some pretty
fantastic points ... one of which is that some of us civilians will have
to stay on here indefinitely, whether we want to or not, to keep the
situation under control. In which case we would, of course, arrange for
Terra to get free fuel--FOB Fuel Bin--but in every other aspect and
factor both these solar systems would have to be strictly off limits."

"I'm afraid so," Sawtelle said, finally. "Gordon would love that ... but
there's nothing he or anyone else can do ... but of course this is an
extreme view. You really expect to wrap the package up, don't you?"

"'Expect' may be a trifle too strong at the moment. But we're certainly
going to try to, believe me. I brought this example up to show all you
fellows that we need time."

"You've convinced me, Jarve." Sawtelle stood up and extended his hand.
"And that throws it open for staff discussion. Any comments?"

"You two covered it like a blanket," Bryant said. "So all I want to say,
Jarve, is deal me in. I'll stand at your back 'til your belly caves in."

"Take that from all of us!" "_Now_ we're blasting!" "Power to your
elbow, fella!" "_Hoch_ der BuSci!" "Seven no trump bid and made!" and
other shouts in similar vein.

"Thanks, fellows." Hilton shook hands all around. "I'm mighty glad that
you were all in on this and that you'll play along with me. Good night,
all."

V

Two days passed, with no cha